Patrick D. Smith's Blog, page 3

Life In Florida Now And Back Then

Sometimes we forget how good we have it. At least, I do. If you have read books like A Land Remembered, you realize how hard life was for the early settlers. It’s romantic to think you’d like to live in that rugged time, but to them, it wasn’t romantic. It was just hard. Let’s take a look back . . .

Early Florida settlers’ lives vastly differed from life in Florida today. In the early days of European settlement, Florida was a wild and untamed land with few amenities and many challenges. Here are some key differences between the hard life of early Florida settlers and life in Florida today:

 

Climate and Environment: Early Florida settlers had to endure a hot and humid climate that was challenging to work in, especially for those who were not used to it. They also had to contend with dangerous wildlife, such as alligators and snakes, and diseases like malaria and yellow fever.  Oh, and let’s not forget about mosquitos, yellow flies, no-see-ums, red bugs, deer flies, horse flies, and other biting insects. No, they didn’t have insect spray. Today, air conditioning and modern medicine make life in Florida much more comfortable and safer.

Access to Resources: Early settlers had to rely on hunting, fishing, and agriculture to survive, as there were few stores or markets to buy goods from. Today, Floridians have access to a wide variety of food and other resources, thanks to modern transportation and infrastructure.

Technology and Communication: Early settlers had no access to modern technology, such as electricity, phones, or the internet. Communication was slow and difficult, and news and information could take weeks or even months to travel across the state. Today, Floridians have access to high-speed internet, cell phones, and other modern technologies that make communication and daily life much easier.

Infrastructure: Early settlers had to build their own homes, roads, and other infrastructure from scratch. They didn’t have Home Depot or Loews. If they needed lumber they most likely had to cut down the trees, clear the land, and mill the lumber themselves. Can you imagine? Today, Florida has a robust infrastructure system, including highways, airports, and public transportation, and plenty of houses and condos readily available, which makes travel and commerce much easier.

Let’s be honest: while living in Florida today still has its challenges, it is much easier and more comfortable than the hard life of early Florida settlers. Modern technology, infrastructure, and access to resources make life in Florida today vastly different from what it was like in the past. Let’s all enjoy our modern comforts and appreciate them.

Until the end of March, you can get any of Patrick D. Smith’s novels for 20% off with promo code March20.

 

Welcome to Florida Interview with Rick Smith

In late September I was honored to be interviewed for a podcast in a series titled Welcome To Florida. That episode aired on October 4, 2022. The topic I covered? The book A Land Remembered and my dad, Patrick D. Smith. You can listen to that episode here.

Welcome To Florida is the brainchild of best-selling author, award-winning reporter, and Florida native Craig Pittman, who is joined by radio personality and Florida transplant Chadd Scott to discuss the state’s history, people, politics, environment, animals, current events, and weirdness.

Weirdness is a key topic of Craig’s many hilarious and insightful books and articles about wonky Florida. He is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestseller “Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country,”” He is also the author of “The Scent of Scandal”,”Manatee Insanity,” “Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther” and co-author of “Paving Paradise.” Craig is a native Floridian born in Pensacola.

Check out his books here.

You’ll hear great storytelling and have great fun in each weekly episode.

About the Welcome to Florida Podcast

Craig says, “The conceit of the show is that 900 new people move to Florida every day, and no one tells them what they’re getting into. We do our best to show them what a remarkable place this is, once you get past the theme parks.”

Previous podcasts cover a wide selection of topics and also featured such icons as Carl Hiaasen, Desmond Meade, and Betty Osceola. It’s a great series to learn about Florida.

We did this over the internet via Zoom which is good because I was in the throes of a case of covid and my voice was having trouble. If you know me or have heard me speak at a presentation, you might not recognize me. I barely do. I’m much better now.

Check out my podcast here, and enjoy the many more he has to offer on Welcome To Florida.

Celebrate National Book Month

October is a special month. Not only is it National Book Month, but it’s also the month my dad, Patrick Smith, was born. He would have been 95 on October 8th.

Now I know it’s just a coincidence that one of Florida’s favorite authors has a birthday in a month dedicated to celebrating books but I thought it was worth noting since his A Land Remembered is such a hit.

I have an announcement to make but before I do that, I want to give a bit of background on what National Book Month is all about.

What is National Book Month?

National Book Month is a month-long celebration that focuses on the importance of reading, writing, and literature. It is also a time to honor the country’s best books and authors. I’m sure many of you would include A Land Remembered in that list.

This special month was created in 2003 by the National Book Foundation. Its purpose is to encourage reading, to recognize the greatest books and authors who give young children diverse role models, and to encourage families to enjoy new books together.

How to Celebrate

One of the best ways to celebrate National Book Month is by opening a book you’ve never read before. While A Land Remembered is Dad’s best known, he wrote several other novels. If you have read A Land Remembered and are looking to read another of Dad’s books, my recommendation is to read Forever Island. He actually wrote that book before A Land Remembered. It is also set in Florida.

Another great way to celebrate is to share one of your favorites with someone. We’ve heard from many fans of A Land Remembered who do just that.

Lastly, get the word out. Use #NationalBookMonth to let your friends and followers know what you’re reading this month, and encourage them to do the same! If you’re reading one of Patrick Smith’s books, use the titles of his books in a hashtag or comment on our Facebook pages, facebook.com/ALandRememberedFans and/or Facebook.com/PatrickSmithFans.

Enjoy this video from Dad about a trip he took through Florida when he was a child. I like to share it on his birthday.My Announcement – 20% Off

I would like to help celebrate National Book Month and Dad’s birthday with a special 20% off every order with promo code EarlyBird.

I feel books make great gifts and that A Land Remembered is perfect for readers of any age. There is the student version in two volumes for young readers, The graphic novel for those that prefer to see it in a more visual form, and both soft and hardbound editions for everyone.

So I was thinking, you might as well get a jump on holiday shopping now. We’re fully stocked and ready to ship.

Here’s something else I can offer that makes a book gift super special – you can ask to have them dedicated to the recipient through an autograph by me, Patrick D. Smith, Jr. (I go by Rick but use my full name in the autograph). I’ve autographed thousands of his books through the years and I’m happy to autograph yours, as well. Unless you ask for something special I usually just say With Best Wishes but you can ask me to say anything you like. Of course, there is no charge for an autograph.

My dad wrote this beloved novel, but I have been deeply involved in promoting it and bringing it to life through the DVD I produced about him and all of his novels. I call it Patrick Smith’s Florida, A Sense of Place. (It’s the best way to get to meet him and learn about his thoughts about Florida now that he is gone.)

The video clip above is just one small snippet from the DVD. It’s almost an hour long and if filled with fascinating insights into both the author and his novels. I know you will love it.

And it gets sweeter because, with every hardbound book, we’ll include a free copy of the hardbound book, The Last Ride. Patrick Smith “ghostwrote” this for bull riding champion, Pee Wee Mercer. You can read more about that book here.

You know how fast time passes. Before you know it Christmas will be here and you’ll still be struggling for gifts that will last. Those treasured gifts are right here and available right now.

And don’t forget, you can SAVE 20% off every order with promo code EarlyBird. This code will expire on October 8, my dad’s birthday, and will not be repeated.

Unprecedented 40% Off Sale

Ok, so here’s the deal with this huge sale.

While the rest of the world is suffering from supply chain shortages as a result of the worldwide pandemic … we have the opposite situation here and you get the benefit of the biggest sale we’ve ever had. With the holidays just around the corner, this is a fabulous way to do your shopping early and get it done easily, from the comfort of your home and at great savings.

These are just some of the books we received.

You see, for the last eight years, I’ve gone on extended speaking tours all around Florida, and I sell a LOT of books at my shows. We had already stocked enough books for a future tour or two, but with the Covid-19 pandemic, it seemed like the right time to retire from that endeavor.  However, because I already had a ton of books in my storage unit, I decided to ship them all to my home in California and now I have a storage problem.

We are, frankly speaking, so overstocked with books that we’re putting them on a never before offered discount of 40% off.  Simply use coupon code 40OFF when checking out. The discount will be applied. This sale is limited to the stock on hand so don’t delay if you want to take advantage of this sale. It ends on December 31, 2021, or when we run out. The prices will go back to normal.

As they say, our loss is your gain.

That applies to every item on this website with the exception of A Land Remembered, which we are never overstocked with because it sells so fast. The complete collection book bag also is excluded.

There’s plenty of time before the gift-giving season start, so you can save even more by selecting Media Mail shipping. It’s a bit slower than Priority Mail but also less expensive

Start shopping today and enjoy a 40% discount with coupon code 40OFF.

A Land Remembered’s Farewell Tour

I never imagined it would last this long!

Over the last seven years, I’ve spent more than 16 months on the road presenting my multimedia show Patrick Smith’s Florida IS A Land Remembered about my father, Patrick D. Smith, and his beloved novels, especially the best known, A Land Remembered. Dad was a highly popular speaker but when he could no longer do it people started asking me. One thing led to another and here I am, 325 shows later!

The show has been seen in libraries, museums, theaters, colleges, and many schools, from Key West to the edges of Georgia and Alabama and everywhere in between.

I met tens of thousands of fans of A Land Remembered . I’m grateful for the support and encouragement.Patrick Smith’s Florida IS A Land Remembered Farewell Tour

It has been a cherished experience for me but now I’m calling it quits.

I have some regrets and I’ll certainly miss the audiences, but there’s a trick to the ‘graceful exit.’ It begins with the ability to recognize when a life stage is over–and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out.

You can learn a lot more about the show here.

I’m saying goodbye to my favorite means of travel. This didn’t really happen but it’s fun to dream, isn’t it?Only Two Shows Scheduled

There are just two remaining opportunities to see the show.

I’ll be presenting at the Osceola County Welcome Center in Kissimmee at 6:30 PM on September 23 2021.

Then the next evening, I’ll be at the Jesse Brock Community Center in Winter Garden at 6:30 on September 24 2021. That show is charging $10 admission for members, $20 for non-members.

I don’t know if there are seats available at either place but if you are interested, it’s worth a call. You can purchase tickets for the Winter Garden show here and find out more information about the Kissimmee show here. Both shows will be practicing CoVid safety precautions so there will be less available seats so there can be spacing of the attendees.

Interested in Ordering Patrick Smith’s Books?

You can always order all of Patrick Smith’s books at this website or PatrickSmithOnline.com. I also have TeachALandRemembered.com which is dedicated to schools. I keep active on my Facebook groups and pages as well. Those places are a good way to learn about new developments, such as possible movies! I’ll say no more about that at this time but here’s a post you might want to read.

Keep your fingers crossed for this to happen. It’s what we’ve all been waiting for, right?

Thanks for your support over these years and I hope to see some of you in later in September.

There’s More To The Day After Thanksgiving Than Black Friday

Did you know that the day after Thanksgiving is Native American Day, not just Black Friday?

In fact, the entire month of November is Native American Heritage Month.

Native American Heritage Month was established to honor and recognize Native Americans as the first people of this nation and to celebrate both their cultural heritage and integral importance along with the contributions they made and continue to make to our Nation.

Florida is a state rich in Native American history and my Father, Patrick Smith, captured part of that history and culture in three of his books, Forever Island, Allapattah, and his most renowned work, A Land Remembered.

To Celebrate this day, get these books at 15% off with coupon code NAHD while ordering. (Expires on 11/29/20)

These books feature Seminoles, but Native Americans were here thousands of years prior to the arrival of the Seminoles in Florida.

Paleo Indians in Florida

Twelve thousand years before Europeans landed in North America, “Paleo-Indians” arrived in Florida.

They were here before the extinction of the large animals living in the Pleistocene period. Archaeologists have found direct evidence that Paleo-Indians in Florida hunted mammoths, mastodons, bison, and giant tortoises.

Few clues remain of these people, but thousands of their stone tools survive to demonstrate their ingenuity and creativity.

You can discover more about Native American history in Florida[image error] through these books on Amazon.

The Spanish Arrive

Accounts from Spanish explorers in the 1500s reveal that these cultures had developed into powerful chiefdoms including the Pensacola, Apalachee, Timucua, Tocobago, Calusa, Saturiwa, Utina, Potano, Ocale, Tequesta, Ais, Mayaca, Jororo, Chacato and Chisca, among others.

In 1565 Pedro Menéndez de Avilés destroyed a small French settlement on the St. Johns River and founded St. Augustine, he began the Spanish claim to La Florida. As part of the Spanish colonial strategy, Catholic missions were established to convert indigenous people to Christianity.

By the mid-1700s, most of the original inhabitants of Florida had been enslaved, devastated by disease and warfare resulting from the European invasion, or relocated or fled to other areas.

Seminoles

[image error]European settlers moving into North America and warfare among various Creek tribes pushed groups of Creek Indians off their ancestral lands in Georgia and Alabama and into Florida. At that time, Florida was nearly empty of other people.

Cowkeeper’s Cuscowilla band near the present-day town of Micanopy and Secoffe’s band near present-day Tallahassee began to act independently of other Creeks in Florida and eventually became known as the Seminoles, a Creek pronunciation of the Spanish word cimarón or “wild one.”

The early Seminole tribe had two main groups: one in the Southern part of the state and the other inhabiting the area near Lake Okeechobee. The tribe would remain in Florida, and continue to grow, including the addition of former slaves into their tribe.

By the early 1800s, as the Seminoles grew in number, they would end up fighting the United States government in the Seminole Wars in an effort to maintain their livelihood and lands in Florida. They have never signed a peace treaty with the United States.

Dad was very interested in the Native American heritage of Florida, especially the Seminoles.

A Land Remembered takes you back to the time shortly after these wars and follows three generations into the 1960s.

In Forever Island and Allapattah, Dad explored that continuing struggle into the last century and the result are moving stories of Seminoles striving to maintain their culture while living in a Florida becoming more populated and developed.

To Celebrate this day, get these books at 15% off with coupon code NAHD while ordering. (Expires on 11/29/20)

The 2000 census records show that over 53,000 people in Florida claim Native American descent, and 39 different tribes from across North America are represented in Florida’s population.

Archaeological remains, oral traditions, and living Native American cultures in Florida demonstrate the long presence and continued significance of Native American heritage.

Native American Heritage Day

[image error]America’s native people worked for decades to get “an American Indian Day” proclaimed. Finally, in 1990 President George H. W. Bush named November as National American Indian Heritage Month.

So, in addition to the ritual shopping frenzy of Black Friday, take a moment to recognize and respect not only the Florida tribes but all Native Americans on Native American Day.

If you’re interested in discovering more about Florida Native American Heritage, go to VisitFlorida.com .

Will There Be Another A Land Remembered Tour?

Will there be another A Land Remembered tour in 2021? Or beyond?

I’m not too sure.

But I do have an offer for you if I am not going to be able to do it. I’ll get to that in a bit.

The A Land Remembered Tour

I’ve spent several months a year for the past seven years going on speaking tours all around Florida presenting my show “Patrick Smith’s Florida Is A Land Remembered. It’s all about the novels my father wrote with particular emphasis on his best-known work, A Land Remembered. It really takes you back in time in Florida.

I’ve had audiences as large as 1,200 people attend and whatever the venue, it’s usually a full or overflow audience.

Now that we’re all living with the coronavirus and the need for social distancing, I have serious doubts that I’ll be able to launch a successful tour in 2021 and maybe never again. The limitations of social distancing will not allow for large, closely spaced audiences and I doubt that many venues will be willing to host my shows any time soon.

However, there is something special I can do for you that I offer to my audiences.

My Special Offer

[image error]Aside from the presentation, which well over 30,000 people have enjoyed, people love buying books and having them autographed at the shows. Fortunately, my parents named me Patrick D. Smith, Jr., so I always say it’s as close as you will get to a Patrick D. Smith autograph. It has been very popular and I’ve autographed many thousands of books.

Now you can get your books autographed as well!

There’s only one stipulation.

[image error]You do have to order from me as my website is the only place I can do that because I have the books in stock. So, if you want autographed Patrick D. Smith books you can still get them.

Order from the A Land Remembered website here and in the comments section just tell me how you want them autographed. My standard format says: “To (insert name here) With Best Wishes, Patrick D. Smith, Jr.” and then I date it. That’s exactly how my dad did it but you can request them personalized to you or the recipient and I can add anything else such as “Happy Birthday,” “A True Florida Cracker,” “Welcome To Florida” or whatever you want.

There is no extra charge for the autograph.

I’ll definitely miss meeting so many fans of my dad’s novels and I hope to resume the tours sometime in the future. In the meantime, I hope you are keeping safe and sane in this new world we’re living in.

Thanksgiving Post

Although Thanksgiving is supposed to be about giving thanks for all of our blessings, to many people that takes a back seat to the gorging most of us do. Food, football, and naps highlight the day.

I’m not saying that’s a bad way to celebrate our bounty with family and friends, that’s not going to be the theme of my holiday this year.

I plan a simple day and I intend to focus on those things of which I am really grateful.

A Quiet Thanksgiving Holiday
Mom and me on Alaska cruise

Last Thanksgiving, I was in Florida at my mom’s house and was grateful that I was able to share this holiday with her.

For those of you who don’t know, I made my way to California after I graduated from college and I’ve built a life here. Lately, with her health declining, I’ve had to fly back home three times this year because I am her power of attorney for financial and health care decisions.

Twice for medical issues, once for a major sewage problem at her house. These trips were in addition to when Kim and I were there in March doing my tour, “Patrick Smith’s Florida Is A Land Remembered.”

Over a week ago, I flew cross-country again to see my mom because I was so concerned about her declining health.

Good News!

I’m happy to report she seems to have bounced back somewhat. We’re still arranging a couple of doctor visits with specialists but I think she was fighting an infection and has responded well to the antibiotic she was prescribed. She seems so relieved to have me here, so I’ll take a little credit for that. Her full-time caretakers do an excellent job but there’s nothing like family.

This unexpected trip also allowed me to take care of some big financial tasks, do a lot of chores, make sure she has alert systems in place for potential falls, have some good conversations with her, and spend time with my sister and nephew who are having some challenges at the moment. For that, I am thankful as well.

And now I get to make her Thanksgiving dinner and we’ll hopefully eat it on her special china, like the old days.

I feel guilty flying home the day after Thanksgiving but I have things I need to do at home. Christmas is only weeks away, we have a lot of great deals we want to offer you for the holidays.

I’ll be back again as soon as I’m needed.

With this latest trip, I learned that I can get a call from Florida at 7:30 a.m. PST and be on my way in less than two hours to catch a plane and be in Florida the same day. So I’m thankful that through doing all this travel, from the tours to mom visits, I’ve learned how to pack light. (I love my new eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Carry-On Travel Backpack . If luggage is on your Christmas list, I highly recommend it. Kim has one too and it’s all we are taking on a two week trip to Asia next year.)

Upcoming A Land Remembered Tour

At this time I have 28 confirmed shows just in March and early April and that’s going to be grueling. That’s nearly a show (or two) a day for a month. I’ve done a lot to make myself ready for that.

I hope you may be able to attend one of my shows. You can see the tour calendar here. Just click the calendar to March to see where I’ll be.

A Special Thank You This Thanksgiving
The audience at my Melbourne show a few years ago

I am also grateful and humbled beyond words that I’ve been able to become so involved in continuing my father’s legacy with these tours. His best-known novel, A Land Remembered, just keeps growing in popularity 38 years after it was first published. That is amazing for any novel. They should just go ahead and make it the official book of Florida, hand it out to everyone who crosses the Florida state line (and charge them for it).

 

Which leads me to another thing I’m grateful for.

You.

Thank you for following my posts on Facebook and for staying on my mailing list. It truly gives me the motivation I need to keep spreading the word about A Land Remembered and Dad’s other books through my tours and various websites.

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving and Holiday Season. And I hope to see you in a couple of months at one of my shows!

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Please share in the comments below.

A Land Remembered Tour – The Final Shows

Patrick Smith’s Florida Is A Land Remembered tour is almost over. I still have 3 more public shows of Patrick Smith’s Florida Is A Land Remembered left and I would love to see you at one of the shows!

I hear over and over how much people love this program. Most of the shows have been at capacity with a couple at standing room only! Some have come to more than one show, a few bringing along friends and family to see it. I’ve had people travel over 3 hours just to watch it.

That is truly humbling.

Will This Show Be In Your Community?

Below is the schedule of the rest of my public performances. If any are near you I certainly hope you can attend. Most of them are free thanks to grants from Florida Humanities and other sources.

I hope I will be in your community for these last few shows.

3/7/20
3 p.m.
Eau Gallie Library , Melbourne, FL (Free admission)




3/10/20
6 p.m.
Lake Wales Arts Center , Lake Wales, FL (Free admission)




3/12/20
3:30 p.m.
Merritt Island Library , Merritt Island, FL (Free admission but you must contact the Reference Desk to get your ticket)

You can learn a lot more about the show here. Please check the schedule above and try to plan to join me somewhere along this busy road.

As always, we’ll have all 10 of Dad’s books plus the award-winning DVD Patrick Smith’s Florida, A Sense of Place for sale and I’m happy to autograph them. Kim works hard to put a beautiful book display up at every venue and I know you’ll be amazed to see some of Dad’s less well known novels. I love them all.

I hope to see you somewhere along the way.

A Land Remembered Tour Continues Into March 2020

My multimedia tour of Patrick Smith’s Florida Is A Land Remembered still has public shows in March 2020. I would love to see you at one of the shows!

Many people have told me how much they love this program. In fact, most of the shows have been at capacity with a couple at standing room only! Many more have expressed disappointment that they have not been able to attend. I hope I will be in your community.

I have 6 more public shows of Patrick Smith’s Florida Is A Land Remembered left to do between now and March 12th.

Will This Show Be In Your Community?

Below is the schedule of the rest of my public performances. If any are near you I certainly hope you can attend. Most of them are free thanks to grants from Florida Humanities and other sources.

3/3/20
2 p.m.
Destin Library , Destin, FL (Free admission)




3/6/20
10:30 a.m.
Corinne Costin Gibson Library , Port St. Joe, FL (Free admission but you must get a ticket at the library. Two tickets allowed per person.)




3/6/20
10:30 a.m.
Harbor Lake Country Club, Lady Lake, FL (Includes a pot roast luncheon for $18.62 per person. Reservations required along with a check made out to HHWGC mailed to 5520 Grove Manor, Lady Lake, FL 32159 by February 24, 2020)




3/7/20
3 p.m.
Eau Gallie Library , Melbourne, FL (Free admission)




3/10/20
6 p.m.
Lake Wales Arts Center , Lake Wales, FL (Free admission)




3/12/20
3:30 p.m.
Merritt Island Library , Merritt Island, FL (Free admission but you must contact the Reference Desk to get your ticket)

You can learn a lot more about the show here. Please check the schedule above and try to plan to join me somewhere along this busy road.

As always, we’ll have all 10 of Dad’s books plus the award-winning DVD Patrick Smith’s Florida, A Sense of Place for sale and I’m happy to autograph them. Kim works hard to put a beautiful book display up at every venue and I know you’ll be amazed to see some of Dad’s less well known novels. I love them all.

I hope to see you somewhere along the way.